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University Challenge: The Professionals
A bizarre experience if ever there was one, I found myself ‘volunteered’ to join the Society of Authors team, which comprised (left to right) me, Katie Fforde, Antony Beevor (captain) and Anna Claybourne. Our round was broadcast on BBC2 on 7 April 2008 (the final score was only a few more than is shown on the scoreboard). |
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Wikipedia
Over the past few years, various unknown contributors have submitted Wikipedia articles about me and my books. With some reservations, I am a fan of Wikipedia, but it’s not until you read a subject about which you are as intimately involved as your own biography that you realize just how riddled with errors an entry can be. I have taken the opportunity to correct those in which I appear, and to begin to add some new articles, such as one on my ancestor Claudius Ash, the pioneer dental manufacturer. In the course of this, I was amused to discover Jade Goody listed among the ‘Distinguished Alumni’ of my college. She was speedily removed as an example of vandalism – which at least indicates that the self-governing nature of Wikipedia operates effectively. They are pretty good at jumping on this sort of thing: on 7 April 2008, some clown replaced the entiure content of the article on newspapers with the single word ‘poo’. It lasted a matter of minutes before the original was reinstated. |
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Potty, Fartwell & Knob
My most recent book, Potty, Fartwell & Knob: Extraordinary but True Names of British People (Headline, £9.99), has been widely reviewed (see here for a selection) and has sold well: it was reprinted six times between publication and Christmas 2007 and on Amazon.co.uk – where it is listed as one of their Best Humour Books of 2007 and has garnered numerous 5-star reviews (see here) – it reached a peak of No. 13 on their overall bestseller list, No. 3 in Humour (having overtaken Jeremy Clarkson), and No. 1 in such categories as History, Personal Names and Fiction: Humour (even though it’s avowedly not fiction). Strangest of all, it hit No. 1 in Crime, Thrillers & Mystery (out-ranking Rankin, as it were), in a genre in which it didn’t even belong – until they realized and removed it. With its latest (8th) printing, it continues to bounce around in the Humour Top 10 – on 8 April 2008 it was ranked at No. 4. It was recently evicted from the Top 10 by the surge in sales of I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue-related books and CDs, following the sad death of Humphrey Lyttelton – which it would be churlish to begrudge. I am finalizing work on the expanded and enhanced paperback, scheduled for publication on 2 October 2008, which will, I promise, be even Pottier, Fartier and Knobier [sic – there really are unfortunate people with these surnames!] .
Highest Amazon rankings in 2008
Personal Names: 1
Humour: 3
History: 8 |
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Recent
On 16 May I spoke at a fundraising dinner for the Bevern Trust, a charity that supports young adults with profound learning disabilities and their families (see: www.bevernview.org). |
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Silly Names
I have just added a ‘Silly Names’ section, starting with the celebrated Cornwall Silly Names list compiled by former Cornwall Record Office archivist Renée Jackaman and her colleagues. As this is no longer available on the CRO site, I am privileged to be able to present it here. In due course I shall be expanding the range of names – and always welcome submissions, the sillier the better... |
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